Music Fills the Night
by MinttyMoth
Summary: Los Angeles in the 30's is no place for a lawyer, so Phoenix Wright becomes a pianist instead, hoping to avoid the rampant crime rotting the city from it's core. A certain gentleman working for the Von Karma Family has a different plan in mind. (Noir fanfic there will be violence in the future).


The year was 1933 the height of the great depression, Phoenix Wright sat at the piano of some classy joint he could never afford. It was a bleak and cold November, and Phoenix was trying to keep the scene alive but the night was clearly coming to a close. The bar had made final calls and the dance floor had almost cleared, aside from a few love birds trying to make the most of the night.

Phoenix kept playing even after the doors were closed and locked, only stopping once the manager handed him his cash for the night. Only then did Phoenix stop, he gave a curt bow to the manager headed to the kitchen and waited for Larry.

"Heard you banging away out there! They finally pay you to leave?"

Larry smiled he was already in his own jacket and had Phoenix's in hand. "Hey at least I get paid!" Phoenix smirked right back grabbing the coat from the other man. "Well you know us artists we never wanna be sell outs or nothin," Larry lead the way to the back door, tipping his hat at every hostess and bidding every line cook good night. Phoenix didn't know how the man kept up such energy after the hours in the blazing kitchen.

"Oh Phoenix! I didn't know you was playin' tonight I totally missed the show!" One of the hostesses sighed out grabbing him by the arm as he passed. He blushed a deep crimson, "Aw Lila I'll be back next Friday don't make such a fuss!" She and a few other hostesses were all dressed up. "At least come out with us Nick! We're going to see if any where is still open for the night!"

Phoenix sighed, taking her hand in both of his. "I'd love to go out with you lovely ladies but I gotta play for Saint Ignatius at 7am tomorrow. Maybe next Friday sound good Lila?" Lila sighed, "Aw Nick, fine but we're holding you to it! Have a good week Nick!"

Larry was kind enough to drag Phoenix out the door, "Don't worry dames, pretty boy will be back, but if you can't wait Larry will be here all day everyday this week!" Phoenix could hear the girls groan as Larry ran out after him. They both hopped onto their bikes and started off into the night.

"You headed home for Christmas Nick?" Larry asked through the rushing wind.

"Nah can't afford the train ride home, you gonna try and leg it?" It was cold especially for California, Phoenix really wished he'd brought his gloves.

"Yeah I got my ticket and everything. Got my eyes on a cutie back…"

The words fell in Larry's mouth as he came to a quick stop. Two police cars were blocking the road leading up to their apartment. "Aw shit, someone didn't pay protection." Phoenix parked his bike next to Larry's as they watched an ambulance pull up on the other side.

"Think they killed 'em?" Larry asked as some paramedics rushed in.

Phoenix shrugged, "Depends on who it was I suppose. Some down on his luck crook definitely ain't getting by this week. Even mafiosa need money for the holidays." Phoenix leaned in close watching as a gurney came out. It was some slick bastard, they were always the ones getting in trouble.

"Eh I know that guy!" Larry stood as tall as he could to try and get a better view and his bike started rolling. Before Phoenix could even move Larry had slammed into one of the vehicles.

"Hey pal watch it!" One of the cops yelled at him. Phoenix kicked down his bike stand and raced for his friend. "So sorry sir! He didn't mean to we live here he musn't have noticed all the hubbub! He's a line cook and he just got off a twelve hour shift and he's real tired! He didn't mean any trouble honest!"

Phoenix found himself rambling at the sight of the cop, or maybe detective. He was dressed like a detective and built like a refrigerator. His hair was buzzed off and he had a cigar hanging out the side of his mouth, he could eat Phoenix for breakfast.

"Look pal, just be careful alright? We already got one of you boys in the hospital we don't need another. Speaking of do you two know that kid they just carted off?" The man spoke in a gentler tone as he watched Larry clumsily get to his feet holding his arm which had slammed into the body of the vehicle.

"Yeah I do! He's Redd White just moved in! I don't know this for certain but rumour had it he got in trouble with the Von Karmas. That's the only way I could see a White living in this shit hole. I bet this was his family, cutting off a lose string and all that." The White's were a prominent enough family always hosting gala's and other fancy parties. Phoenix vaguely remembered Larry making a scene when the kid moved in down the hall.

Larry had already launched into his full conspiracy theory about the guy and the officer seemed to be eating it up. The ambulance had long driven away and the other police had finished looking around the sight. The officer finally put down his pen and gave a curt nod as Larry started to wind down. "Thanks there pal, what's your name kid?"

"Larry Butz, sir!"

The officer smiled putting out his hand, "I'm detective Gumshoe thank you for taking the time to talk with me. Hopefully I won't be seeing you two any time soon, but if you're ever in trouble…" He took out a page from his book and scribbled down his number. "Just a call and I'll be right there."

Larry's eyes glowed as he put the paper carefully in his breast pocket. "Thank _you, sir_!" Larry walked off stunned, floating on corrupted cops finally looking his way. So dazed from the events he left Phoenix to grab his bike while Gumshoe quickly drove off into the night.

Phoenix lead the bikes round back trying to keep himself from shivering. Now that things had calmed down Phoenix felt a little weary in the back alley of their building. His hands shook as he got the lock around his own bike, and he had started to hum to calm his nerves by the time he got to Larry's.

"That's a nice tune,"

Phoenix jumped, slamming his head into something hard- the bike rack- and fell to the pavement.

"Mein Gott! Are you okay Sir?"

A man helped him get out from the bike rack and sit against the opposite wall, "Hey how many fingers am I holding up?"

Phoenix was a little shocked to see a black gloved hand, "Three." He looked up to meet stormy grey eyes, even in the dark alley they seemed to light up. His hair was an ash blonde, almost grey and he was wearing a black jacket with a vibrant red waist coat. "Oh gosh ugh there's no need to call me sir! I'm… I'm no one important, I just spooked myself is all. Ugh I don't know if you're in the know, you don't exactly look like you're from around here, but there was a murder here tonight. Do you have a way home?"

The man smiled, he had straight white teeth, "Oh you don't need to worry about me." He readjusted from his crouch to stand up looking down the alley. "We appear to be quite alone now, what was the name of that tune?" He asked reaching out his hand to help Phoenix to his feet. Phoenix gladly took it whipping his one good pair of pants as clean as he could.

"Oh that hmm, I think it's Debussy maybe Chopin."

The man looked a little concerned for a moment, leaning slightly to be eye level with Phoenix. "Sorry," He said after a moment. "I was trying to check if you were concussed and that answer definitely didn't point to anything good. However, you seem fine."

Phoenix found himself keeping his eyes locked with the other mans until the man smiled, "What's your name then?"

"Wright, Phoenix Wright, I-I should really get headed inside," He was visibly shaking from the cold by now teeth chattering if he relaxed his jaw. The man gave him another once over still looking concerned, "My name is Miles, Miles Edgeworth. It was wonderful meeting you Mr. Wright and I hope to see you again, soon." He gave Phoenix a curt handshake grabbing with both hands.

"I hope so too!"


End file.
